Float controlled valve



y 1, 1956 J. s. TRONIC 2,756,766

FLOAT CONTROLLED VALVE Filed April 14, 1955 '11 I 1 A I INVENTOR. JAM CS S. TR M 0' I m'v United States Patent 2,756,766 FLOAT CONTROLLED VALVE James S. Tronic, Worcester, Mass.

Application April 14, 1955, Serial No. 501,380

'3 Claims. (Cl. 137-397) This invention relates to a valve designed for the effective venting of a container when water or other liquid flowing into the container rises to a predetermined point.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a float controlled valve which will open automatically on such predetermined rise in the liquid level, and which will be held open until the valve is manually released and reset.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of means for limiting the rise of liquid in the container should the float valve fail to open as intended.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing in which the figure is a sectional front elevation of my improved valve.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a portion T of the bottom of a tank or container, and I have also shown a valve tube freely slidable vertically in a sleeve 12 fixed in a base 1211 which is secured to the bottom of the tank T.

The base 12 is provided with a series of exhaust ports 14, and the lower end of the tube 10 is seated against the inner end of an exhaust member 20 which may be threaded in the base 120. tube 10 and acts as a float to lift the tube 10 to vent the An inverted cup 22 is secured to the upper end of the tank T through the exhaust ports 14 when the water or other liquid rises to a predetermined point relative to the cup 22.

Small permanent magnets M are mounted on top of the cup 22 and engage an iron plate 30 when the tube 10 is lifted to open the valve. The small magnets are strong enough to hold the tube 10 is raised position, so that the exhaust connection remains open.

The plate 30 is mounted inside the upper end of an inverted cup 40 which is secured to the upper end of the fixed sleeve 12 by a disc 42 having ports 43.

2,756,766 Patented July 31, 1956 Ports 41 are provided near the upper end of the cup 40 and slightly higher than the upper end of the tube 10 when the latter is in closed position.

. The ports or openings 41 are provided for safety purposes, so that, in the event that the sleeve 10 does not rise and vent the tank, the water continuing to flow into the tank will pass through the ports 41 and down through the tube 10 to the exhaust connection 20, the upper end of the tube 10 being left open for this purpose.

A spring-lifted button 44 is loosely mounted in the fixed 'structure above the tube 10 and may be manually depressed to separate the magnets M from the plate 30, so that the tube 10 may drop and again close the exhaust opening of the tank.

This float valve structure is capable of general application but is particularly designed for use in dishwashers in which the washing operation is performed as the tank is filled and in which water for rinsing purposes continues to flow into the tank T after the Washing water has been released and exhausted.

As soon as the operator is satisfied that the rinsing operation has been effectively performed, the flow of water will be manually shut off and the button 44 may be depressed to reset the valve.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A float-controlled valve comprising an impervious upright valve tube open at its upper end and seated at its lower end over an exhaust connection, a float member mounted on the upper end of said valve tube, a fixed guide sleeve for the tube having exhaust ports at its lower end, and magnetic means to hold said valve open after the valve tube is lifted by the float member to open the exhaust connection.

2. The combination in a float-controlled valve as set forth in claim 1, in which the float member comprism an inverted cup, and in which small permanent magnets are mounted on said cup and engage a fixed plate of magnetic material when said valve tube and float are lifted.

3. The combination in a float-controlled valve as set forth in claim 1, in which an inverted cup is mounted in fixed position above said valve and supports a plate of magnetic material, and in which said cup is vented near its upper end to permit overflow into the open upper end of said valve tube for safety should said valve fail to open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,170,247 Lambert Aug. 22, 1939 2,691,386 Madison Oct. 12, 1954 

